Maturity is Threatened by Worldviews Colossians 2:8-10

Below is an abbreviated version of a message preached on Sunday September 17, 2006. Some things have been changed and questions asked for thought provoking discussion. Feel free to answer any question or comment in general.
“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;” NASB

See to it or beware, be on your guard. Take captive literally speaks about being carried off as a captive. They would become slaves to this system. That is the danger in false teaching. That is the danger in the prevailing worldviews that are not according to Christ.
The danger as we can see was becoming captive to a specific philosophy. This is not a condemnation of all philosophy. Paul had a specific philosophy in mind. The literal meaning of philosophy is love of wisdom. So philosophy of and in itself is not bad. But this particular philosophy as you can see from the text had no substance. It was empty deception. I like the way the NIV translates this verse: “through hollow and deceptive philosophy.” This philosophy had nothing of any value on the one hand and it was deceptive on the other. At the foundation of this hallow worldview was human tradition combined with a spiritual element.
At issue was the sufficiency of Christ. Was Christ alone sufficient or did they need to add something else. Of course the answer is that Christ alone is sufficient. Why would someone leave the all sufficient Christ for something vain and something that provided no purpose or real meaning to life? Their danger was similar to the Jews in the days of Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 2:13 we read “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.” Obviously none of us would forsake clear, fresh drinking water for a mud puddle! That was the spiritual equivalent if the Colossians forsook Christ for this other worldview.
I think that this verse has significant implications and applications for the body of Christ today.
Question: What worldviews are prevalent today and what dangers do they pose to a Christian worldview?

Some may say what’s the big deal? Is this really something we should think about or even worry about? Here is the thing: Everyone has a worldview. Whether or not we realize it, we all have certain presuppositions and biases that affect the way we view all of life and reality. These presuppositions alter the way we perceive the world around us. A person’s worldview is usually absorbed from the influences around them: education, family, culture etc. A person’s worldview becomes very practical. It guides our decisions and actions.
It is easy to understand that our beliefs will guide our actions, but why can’t Christianity co-exist with these other prevailing worldviews. Paul answers this in a few simple words: It was not “according to Christ.” This new worldview conflicted with the Christ they had believed and been taught. Jesus Christ is the standard by which all doctrine, all beliefs are to be measured. Any system, regardless of its claims, must be rejected if it fails to conform to the revelation God has given us in Christ.
Question: What can Christians do to strengthen their worldview according to Christ?

Verses 9-10 highlight at least two things that reminded them about the sufficiency of Christ. 1. The Deity of Christ! Christ is God! He did not become god, He is not a lesser god, He is God! In Him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. He is the personal revelation of the Father and the One Mediator between humanity and the Father. 2. The Supremacy of Christ! If Jesus is God, then we must acknowledge the supremacy of Christ. He is the head over all rule and authority. To sum up we could say that God has revealed Himself in the person of His Son Jesus Christ and Christ reigns supreme over His creation.
The future of our mission to share the Good News of Jesus Christ rests in part by our ability as Christians to share our worldview with those around us; showing that Christianity is a viable worldview. A key text or doing this is 1 Peter 3:15 says “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always {being} ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” We can share the hope we have and show them that Christianity as a worldview is a viable, intelligent and truthful option. Of course a big emphasis in doing this is found at the end of the verse: “with gentleness and reverence.”
Question: What are some ways that Christians can share their worldview with gentleness and reverence?